IP Library Granted Patent US 12,202,944
Granted Patent B2
US 12,202,944 · App. 17/499,112 · Granted Jan 21, 2025

Heat shrinkable film and method for reproducing polyester container using same

Inventors: Daeyong Shin (Sugar Hill, GA); Yongdeuk Kim (Jeollanam-do, KR); Jung Kyu Lee (Seoul, KR); Jaehyong Son (Snellville, GA); Eugene Jung (Lawrenceville, GA)
Assignees: SK MICROWORKS AMERICA, INC.; SK MICROWORKS CO., LTD.
C08J11/12B29B9/04B29B17/04B29C61/02C08G63/183C08G63/672C08J5/18B29L2009/00C08G2390/00C08J2367/02C08J2367/03
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,202,944
App. No.
17/499,112
Granted
Jan 21, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

The embodiments relate to a heat shrinkable film and a process for regenerating a polyester container using the same. The heat shrinkable film comprises a copolymerized polyester resin comprising a diol component and a dicarboxylic acid component and has a heat shrinkage rate of 30% or more in the main shrinkage direction upon thermal treatment at a temperature of 80° C. for 10 seconds, a melting point of 190° C. or higher as measured by differential scanning calorimetry, and a peak temperature (Tp) of 95° C. to 115° C. as measured in the endothermic and exothermic curve (heat flow) by differential scanning calorimetry. It not only solves the environmental problem by improving the recyclability of the polyester container, but also is capable of enhancing the yield and productivity.

Claims (18)

1. A heat shrinkable film, which comprises a copolymerized polyester resin comprising a diol component and a dicarboxylic acid component, and

which has a heat shrinkage rate of 30% or more in the main shrinkage direction upon thermal treatment at a temperature of 80° C. for 10 seconds,

a melting point of 190° C. or higher as measured by differential scanning calorimetry, and

a peak temperature (Tp) of 95° C. to 115° C. as measured in the endothermic and exothermic curve (heat flow) by differential scanning calorimetry.

2. The heat shrinkable film of claim 1 , which has a clumping fraction of 8% or less.

3. The heat shrinkable film of claim 1 , which has a crystallization temperature that is not measured or is 70° C. to 95° C. by differential scanning calorimetry.

4. The polyester film of claim 1 , which has a heat of crystallization at the crystallization temperature that is not measured or is 0.01 to 50 J/g.

5. The heat shrinkable film of claim 1 , wherein the diol component is at least one selected from the group consisting of ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, neopentyl glycol, and cyclohexanedimethanol.

6. The heat shrinkable film of claim 1 , wherein the copolymerized polyester resin comprises neopentyl glycol in an amount of 5 to 35% by mole based on the total number of moles of the diol component.

7. The heat shrinkable film of claim 1 , which has a heat shrinkage rate of 5% to 55% in the main shrinkage direction upon thermal treatment at a temperature of 70° C. for 10 seconds,

wherein the rate of increase in the heat shrinkage rate in the main shrinkage direction in the temperature range of 0.35×Tm° C. to 0.40×Tm° C. is 2.5%/° C. to 4.0%/° C., and

the rate of increase in the heat shrinkage rate in the main shrinkage direction in the temperature range of 0.45×Tm° C. to 0.50×Tm° C. is 0.1%/° C. to 1.0%/° C.

8. A process for regenerating a polyester container, which comprises:

preparing a polyester container provided with the heat shrinkable film according to claim 1 ;

crushing the container provided with the heat shrinkable film to obtain flakes; and

thermally treating the flakes to produce regenerated polyester chips,

the flakes comprise first flakes obtained by crushing the container and second flakes obtained by crushing the heat shrinkable film.

9. The process for regenerating a polyester container of claim 1 , wherein when the flakes are thermally treated at a temperature of 200° C. to 220° C. for 60 minutes 120 minutes, the clumping fraction is 8% or less.

Assignments (7)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 13, 2026
From: SK MICROWORKS CO. LTD.
To: MICROWORKS CO. LTD.
Reel/Frame 074306/0727 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Apr 10, 2025
From: SK MICROWORKS AMERICA, INC.
To: MICROWORKS AMERICA, INC.
Reel/Frame 070794/0221 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 29, 2024
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: SK MICROWORKS AMERICA, INC.
Reel/Frame 068446/0657 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE THE ASSIGNMENT DOCUMENT PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 063240 FRAME: 0192. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Dec 8, 2023
From: SKC CO., LTD.
To: SK MICROWORKS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 065841/0822 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 15, 2023
From: SK MICROWORKS AMERICA, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 064587/0808 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 3, 2023
From: SKC CO., LTD.
To: SK MICROWORKS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 063240/0192 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Apr 3, 2023
From: SKC, INC.
To: SK MICROWORKS AMERICA, INC.
Reel/Frame 063208/0225 →